‘Ballroom world will never be the same’: DWTS pays tribute to former judge Len Goodman

The former pro-dancer-turned-judge had retired from “Dancing with the Stars at the end of the show’s 31 season after announcing his plans last November, Variety reported.

[ ‘Dancing with the Stars’ judge Len Goodman’s cause of death released ]

“DWTS” is currently airing its 32nd season and had already paid tribute to Goodman during the season premiere, but the show started the most recent episode with a pre-taped celebration of Goodman’s life, with the series’ former pros remembering their mentor.

Host Alfonso Ribero said that Goodman “will always be at the heart of this show.”

Derek Hough, who followed in Goodman’s footsteps, gliding his way from the dancefloor to the judges’ table, said through tears, “One of the things I’m most thankful for is being able to judge alongside Len. I was able to spend a little more extra time with him and for that, I’m really thankful,” E! News reported.

[ Len Goodman, ‘Dancing With the Stars’ judge, dies at 78 ]

Anna Trebunskaya was also emotional, saying, “I miss giving him hugs and seeing how he is and I miss him a lot.”

“The ballroom world will never be the same without Len,” Trebunskaya said later in the video tribute.

After sharing their memories, they danced, according to Tony Dovolani, “just a clean simple waltz” to one of Goodman’s favorite songs, as shared by Louis van Amstel, “Moon River.”

“For Len, it will always be a 10,” Hough said in the tribute before the interviews dissolve to a photo of Goodman holding a judging paddle with the number 10 on it, and then showing a lone top hat in a light blue spotlight and smoke.

The tribute ends with a spotlight on Goodman’s empty chair at the judges’ table and a voice-over from Goodman, saying, “All good things have to come to an end.” Co-judges Bruno Tonioli and Carrie Ann Inaba embrace and console each other. Many of the dancers, along with the judges and members of the audience were left in tears.

The dance was choreographed by Jenna Johnson and Val Chmerkovskiy, E! News reported.

Watch the tribute and dance below:

One person was not part of the tribute — Cheryl Burke. She said last week that she was not invited to participate in the tribute, but she posted her own remembrances to social media on Tuesday, saying that Goodman had helped shape her career.

“There are not enough words to honestly describe how much he really made such a huge impact on my life, but why not give it a shot?” she said, according to People. The pair knew each other before “DWTS,” when he was a judge and she was a teenage contestant in ballroom competitions. She called him “the face of ballroom dancing.”